Bag clamp for suction cleaners



May 31, 1932- L. c. VAN RIPER 1,861,402

` BAG CLAMP FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed April 24. 1931 :Fi cgil.

ICQ

Snom/woz Patented May 3l, 1932 PATENT OFFICE LEWIS C. VAN RIPER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK :BAG- CLAMP FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Application filed April 24,

This invention relates to improvements in bag clamps or bag holders adapted for use on suction cleaners, and has for its object to provide a bag clamp which may be attached to the outlet member of a suction cleaner and to which a dust bag may be readily attached in operative position to receive dust and dirt from the suction cleaner, and from which the said dust bag may be Vreadily detached.

Another object is to provide a clamp or holder for dust bags to which said dust bags may be readily attached andl detached by means of a wire clamp within which the end of a dust bag may be placed, said wire clamp held in such position that the end of said dust bag willbe at all times exposed to view, so that the housewife or operator may be able to place the end of the dust bag in proper position before tightening the clamp around it.

Another object is to provide a bag clamp or holder having a flexible band adapted to sur# round the neck of a dust bag and` having clamping means which will givel the said band a comparatively large lateral movement in contracting and expanding said band.

Another object is to provide a clamp, as a new article of manufacture that will be of low cost, will be capable of comparatively large expansion and contraction, will be compact and its operating members open to the view of operator at all times.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain new and useful constructions and arrangement of parts,

clearly described in the following specifications and fully illustrated in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation, in section of the bag clamp through l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the bag clamp through 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the bag clamp with clamping means in dotted lines, and Fi 4 is a front view of the clamping means. imilar characters of reference denote like parts in the several figures.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 is an annular neck piece adapted to be attached to the outlet member of a suction cleaner to re- 1931. Serial No. 532,602.

ceive air, dust and dirt/through its tube like interior, and attached to this neck piece is another' tube like member 2, the purpose of which is to hold the open end neck of a dust bag 3 in position to be clamped around it by the flexible band 4 between which and the tube like member 2 the neck of a dust bag may be placed. A projecting flange member 5 is also provided to form a seat or guide for the end of the .dust bag and also to act as a support for the flexible band member and the clamping means, to accomplish which an annular wire band 6 is mounted upon the periphery of the flange member 5 and the adjacent ends of this wire band are turned up '7 7 and are bent in loop form around the flexible band l as indicated at 8. The clamp is provided with a supporting plate 9 which latter is hinged upon the wire band 6 as shown at 10-10, so that it is free to rock backward and forward to a slight extent upon its hinges 10-10. This supporting plate is provided with a stud or pin 11 and with gui-de members 12-12 within which latter the ends of the flexible band 8 may move laterally to contract and expand.

Upon the pin 11 is mounted the oval shaped clamping member 13 which is provided `with two double faced cams 1li- 14, each of which is adapted to receive a projecting end of the flexible band 15-15. The clamping member is provided with a projecting thumb piece or lever 16 by which it may be partially rotatedwhen it is desired to expand the flexible band 4 to open the clamp, in the direction indicated by the arrow 17.

I preferably use a spring wire for the flexible band 4, with its tension normally outward,so that as the clamping member 13 is partially rotated in the opposite direction to that shown by the arrow 17 the spring tension of the flexible band will cause said band to expand along its entire length and will thus force outwardly the upper ends of the supporting members 7--7 and also the top of the supporting plate 9 so that the space between the flexible band and tubular member 2 is enlarged around the periphery of said tube like member.

The operation of the bag holder is as follows:

The neck of a dust bag may be placed around the tube like member 2 and its end seated upon the annular flange member 5 which is always open to the View of the operator, then the lever 16 may be rotated in the direction of the arrow 17 for the distance of approximately 180 degrees or half way around until the lever 16 stands at the top. This movement causes the proj ectingends 15d 15 of the flexible band to follow in the double faced cams lel--leL until they reach the outer ends of said cams, thus expanding the wire band so that the end of the dust bag may be freely inserted between the tube like member 2 and the flexible band l, and as this band is supported in its longitudinal position by the wire supports 7-7 and by the supporting plate 9 the neck end of the dust bag is left open to the View of the operator as indicated at 18, thus the operator will make no mistake and cannot fail to properly seat the end of the dust bag within the annular groove 19 as would often occur if this portion of the bag holder were enclosed or surrounded by an annular flange extending above the wire clamp band and outside of same as is the case in some bag holders now in general use. It will be noted that when the clamp is contracted in the position shown in Fig. Il, that the projecting ends 15-15 of the flexible band are exerting an outward tension or pull toward the ends of the oval shaped clamping member 13 and that the double cams 14-111 may be so shaped that when the lever 1G is rotated in the direction of the arrow 17 the ends 15--15 will at first be drawn slightly tegether and will then expand as the lever 16 is rotated further, until a position of approxi mately 180 degrees, in this instance, from its position shown in Fig. l has been reached. By reason of this arrangement the clamping member is securely locked when the flexible band is contracted as shown in 4 and the ends 15-15 of the flexible band are exerting a pressure upon the clamping member 13 in an opposite direction to each other, against the inner ends of the double faced cams 1lb-14, thus causing the clamping member to lock itself in the closed and operative position shown in Fig. il.

I claim:

1. In a bag clamp, a tube like neck piece operably attachable to the outlet member of a suction cleaner, a spring band placed around said tube like neck piece having its tension normally outward, spa-ced therefrom a suliicient distance to admit the neck of a dust bag to be placed between said band and said neck piece when said band is in an ex-I panded position, a supporting member attached to said neck piece, a guide member mounted upon said supporting member to hold said, band in longitudinal position, a

clamping member rotatably mounted upon said supporting member and substantially in parallel position therewith, the axis of rotation of said clamping member being substantially at right angles to the axis of said tube like neck piece, said clamping member having two cam slots, each adapted to opern ably receive an end of said band so that when said clamping member is rotated in one direction it will cause said band to contract around said tube like neck piece and when rotated in another direction it will cause said band to expand, each cam slot ending at a point near the periphery of said clamping member and both ends of each cam ending in an arc, the axes of which lie in a longitudinal plane passing through the axis of rotation of said clamping member so that said clamping member may rotate 18() de grees and will lock itself against self movel ment when said spring band is contracted and a thumb piece upon said clamping member to rotate same.

2. In a dust bag clamp, a tube like member adapted to be operably attached to the outlet member of a suction cleaner, a plurality of upright supporting members, a flexible band surrounding said tube like member and normally spaced apart therefrom to allow the neck of a dust bag yto be inserted between said band and said tube like member, said flexible band supported longitudinally by said supporting members so that a space open to the view of the operator is left between said band and said tube like member, a disc like clamping member rotatably mounted upon a supporting member, said clamping member having two cam shaped recesses, each recess adapted to operably receive an end of said exible band when said ends are bent outwardly, each of said recesses being of suiii cient length to allow a rotary movement of said clamping member of substantially 180 degrees. e

3. In a dust bag clamp, a. tube like member adapted to be operably attached to the outlet member of a suction cleaner, an upright spring member and a hinged plate on said member, a vflexible band surrounding said tube like member and supported longitudinally by said upright spring member at one point and by said hinged plate at another point, a disc like clamping member having two cam slots formed therein and rotatably mounted upon said hinged plate, its axis of rotation being at substantially right angles to the axis of said tube like member, projecting ends on said flexible band adapted to operably mesh respectively with said slots as said clamping member is rocked backward and forward upon its axis, a thumb piece on said clamping member by which it may be rocked to contract said band around said tube like member when rocked in one direction and to expand said band when rocked in another direction, said slots providing means for automatically locking said clamping member against self movement.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a tube like member mounted upon a neck piece adapted to be operably attached to the outlet member of a suction cleaner, an upright spring member attached to said neck piece and a supporting plate pivotally attached to said neck piece, a spring band supported by said spring member, said sup-porting plate provided with guide members to hold the ends of said spring band in longitudinal positions but to allow lateral movements of same, an annular shaped clamping member having two cam shaped recesses formed therein adapted to operably receive the ends of said spring band, said clamping member rotatably mounted upon said supporting plate, its axis of rotation being at substantially right angles to the axis of said tube like member, so that as said clamping member is rocked in one direction said spring band will be contracted around said tube like member and when rocked in i and having an outward tension, a spring` supporting member for holding said band in a longitudinal position transversely with the axis of said tube like member, a supporting plate. attached to said neck piece so as to be capable of a tilting movement, guide members upon said supporting plate to hold said band ends in longitudinal positions but leaving them free for lateral movement, an annular shaped clamping member normally placed substantially parallel with said supporting plate and rotatably mounted thereon, its axis of rotation being at substantially right angles to the axis of said tube like member` curved slots in said clamping member, said slots capable of operably holding the respective ends of said spring band, said slots beginning each at a point near the axis of r0- tation of said clamping member and continuing in a curved path around said axis, one of said slots curving above said axis and the other slot curving below said axis, each slot terminating at a point near the periphery of said clamping member but at opposite ends, both ends of each slot lying substantially in an imaginary longitudinal line passing through the axis of rotation of said clamping member when said clamping member is in normal position wherein said clamp is either open or closed.

6. As a new article of manufacture, in a in said supporting member to hold the ends f1 of said flexible band in longitudinal positions, but to allow end movement, an oblong disc like clampingmember rotatably connected to said supporting member, cam slots each ce. )able of receivin a ro'ectin end f of said band, said cam slots placed in said clamping member in opposition to each other and each one beginning at a point oll the axis ot rotation of said clamping member and continuing in a curved path to a point near its respective ends, both ends of each ot' said cam slots respectively lying in an imaginary horizontal line passing substantially through the axisoi rotation of said clamping member when in normal position and means for rotating said clamping member.

7. In a clamp adapted for use upon a suction sweeper, a neck piece operably attached thereto, anormally upright spring member and a supporting plate attached to said neck piece, a spring band mounted on said spring member and plate, said supporting plate provided with guide members to hold the ends of said spring band horizontally but to allow lateral movement of said band ends, a disc like clamping member rotatably mounted upon said supporting plate provided with two cam slots to receive the two ends respectively of said spring band, said ends bent outwardly to operably fit in said slots, each of said slots beginning at a point near the axis of rotation of said clamping member and continuing in a curved path around said axis to a point near the periphery of said clamping member, one of said slots passing above said axis and the other slot passing below said axis, both ends of each of said slots lying substantially in an imaginary horizontal line passing through said axis when said clamping member is in normal position, whereby said clamp is either open or closed and means for rotating said clamping mem. ber approximately 18() degrees.

8. In a dust bag holder adapted for use on a suction sweeper, a tube, a flexible band open at one point and loosely mounted to surround said tube, a plurality of supporting members attached to said tube and adapted to hold said flexible band in horizontal position, one of said supporting members being capable of tilting movement and provided with grooves to hold the ends of said exible band in horizontal positions but to allow lateral movement of said ends and a clamping member mounted on said supporting member, cam slots formed in said member, the ends of said band engaging said slots, said clamping member adapted to contract said flexible band when moved in one direction and to expand 'fes said band when moved in another direction, said supporting member being movable towards the tube when the band is contracted.

9. A dust bag holder comprising a tube adapted to be operably attached in a substan tially vertical position upon the discharge member of a support on said tube, a. suction sweeper, a flexible annular band open at one point supported in a horizontal position around said tube, a plurality of upright members supporting said band and attached to said support at a point normally spaced below said flexible band, said upright members each being capable of tilting movement, one of said upright members having guide members thereon to receive and hold each end respectively of said flexible band in horizontal positions with relation to the axis of said tube like member, but to allow lateral movement of said ends, a clamp operably mounted upon said last named upright supporting members, said clamp operably connected to the two ends respectively of said flexible band to contract or expand said band by the movement of said clamp, said upright members being movable towards the tube when the band is contracted.

LEWIS C. VAN HIPER. 

